Vending machine



- 1944- 0. T. THOMPSON ETAL 2,359,393

VENDING MACHINE Filed April 2, 1941 5 Sheet s-Sheet 1 $5 INVENTORS Oscar 7. 7'/z077 050/L 5m! M [10 02 Oct 1944- o. T.THOMPSON ETAL 2,359,393

VENDING MACHINE Filed April 2, 1941 Y s Sheets-Sheet 2 v. BY 5a/7wQL N flo pz Z6 Y I I Mr- W 1944- o. 'r. THOMPSON ETAL 2,359,398

VENDING MACHINE Filed April 2, 1941 5 Sheebs-Sheet 3 Oct. 3, 1944;

O. T. THOMPSON ET AL VENDING MACHINE Filed April 2, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS dscafl T 7720 SO/Z 252 BY \Sa/TLu/QL N 1944- I o. T. THOMPSON EI'AL 2,359,393

VENDING MACHINE Filed April 2, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I INVENTORS. 05w 7. 77L077 050/ Patented Oct. 3, 1944 VENDING MACHINE Oscar T. Thompson, Neenah, and Samuel N. Hope, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignors to International Cellucotton Products Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application April 2, 1941, Serial No. 386,460

15 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved vending machine and the main object of the invention is to provide a vending machine of unusually simple construction but which is nevertheless highly efficient and durable in operation and which may be manufactured economically and at low cost.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a vending machine of relatively small size with due regard to the size of the goods to be vended thereby; to provide a vending machine in which the various mechanical elements may be quickly and easily removed for repair or for replacement and in which the various elements are of such standardized construction that they may readily be replaced by new elements when necessary; to provide a vending. machine having acertain capacity for adjustment for vending different quantities of merchandise; to provide a vending machine which may be readily serviced, that is to say, which may be readily stocked with merchandise; and in general it is the object of the invention to provide an improved Vending machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanyin drawings (five sheets) wherein there is disclosed a vending machine of the character indicated and designed particularly for the vending of sanitary napkins, although obviously capable of vending other goods without modification, or modified to accommodate articles of different form and size.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective illustrating on a small scale a selected embodiment of a vendin machine according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a section through the machine on a plane approximately parallel to the front and back of the vending machine;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig, 2;

Fig. 4 is an illustration of a controlling column unit of construction, certain portions thereof being shown in section to more fully illustrate the details of construction, the general plane of the sectioned portions being indicated by the line 4-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a blank employed for forming one element of the structure illustrated in Fig, 4;

Fig. 6 is an exploded view in perspective of certain of the elements of structure shown also in Fig. 4;

Fig. '7 is a section on the line l-l of Fig, 2;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a coin controlling mechanism unit;

Fig. 9 is a plan section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating certain details of the coin control mechanism; Fig, 11 is a section on the line l|-|I of Figs. 7 and 12;

Fig. 12 is a plan section on the line l2l2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating certain details of construction of the vending machine cabinet;

Fig. 14 is a perspective of a shelf support for the goods to be vended;

Fig. 15 is a section on the line l5l5 of Fig. 13; and

Fig. 16 is a section similar to Fig, 3 but illustrating the structure adjusted for the vending of a double quantity of the merchandise.

The improved vending machine comprises a cabinet such as illustrated in Figure 1, preferably made of sheet metal and embodying a main receptacle 20 and a cover or door 2|, suitably hinged as indicated at 22 to the receptacle 2U. Coin mechanism for controlling the vending of merchandise is mounted within the cabinet and communicates with the exterior thereof through a coin slot indicated at 23 in the door 2|. The coin interior mechanism is adapted to be manually actuated through the agency of a lever which has an end portion 24 projecting forwardly through a suitable slot 25 in the door of the cabinet. The end portion 24 has a fin er piece or shelf-like part 26 bent laterally therefrom to facilitate depression of the projecting end of the lever, The slot 25 in the door has a laterally extending portion at its upper end for permitting passage of the shelf part 26 therethrough, said laterally extending slot extension not being visible in the drawings. A suitable lock 21 is also carried by the door for locking the same in closed position.

The goods to be vended are discharged to the lower end wall 28 of the receptacle 20, said end wall constituting a shelf spaced downwardly from the lower edge 29 of the door for receiving the discharged merchandise. The shelf 28 is spaced downwardly from the lower edge of the door sufficiently to permit free manual access to the article deposited on the shelf.

The receptacle 20 is of generally rectangular form and comprises the said lower end wall 28, side walls 30 and 3|, a top wall 32 and a back wall 33. In the illustrated construction the bottom or back wall 33 and the side walls 30 and 3,1 are of integral construction and the top and bottom wall portions 32 and 28, respectively, are formed independently and suitably united to the respectively adjacent wall portions to form the cabinet receptacle 29. As shown, the top wall 32 is preferably inclined downwardly. The back wall 33 may be provided with suitable keyhole slots or other openings (not shown) for facilitating mounting of the cabinet on a wall or other support.

For vending flat articles such as single sanitary napkins, the cabinet is provided with a series of shelves respectively designated 34, the said shelves being of fairly thin sheet metal construction as most clearly shown in Figure 14. Each shelf is of a size to receive and support the article to be vended and it is stamped to provide a peripheral bead 35 and diagonally extending rib 36 which serve to reinforce the shelf. The ribs 36 are adapted to support the articles to be vended on a plane coinciding with the top surface of the peripheral bead 35 so that such bead does not interfere with the discharge of the articles to be vended from the shelves.

Each shelf 34 is pivotally mounted in the cabinet near its rear wall for which purpose each shelf has a rearwardly extending flange or lip 31, the ends of which are provided with pivot projections 38 and 39, respectively. At the rear of the lip 31 there is provided a down-turned flange 49 which imparts rigidity to the shelf structure. The pivot projections 38 and 39 are formed by suitably bending end portion of said depending flange 49.

Each shelf 34 is pivotally mounted in the cabinet through the agency of its pivot projections 38 and 39. For this purpose the cabinet has attached to the inside of its side wall 30, a shelf mounting strip 4| so formed that a marginal portion 42 thereof may be welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the side wall 30 while another portion 43 of said strip is spaced inwardly from aid side wall 39. The inwardly spaced portion 43 may be extended at right angles in the form of a flange 44 which may be welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the back wall 33. The spaced portion 43 of the mounting strip 4| i provided with suitable apertures such as indicated at 45 for receiving the pivot projections 38 of the shelves. As shown, the openings 45 are arranged in successive series of three openings, the openings of each series being uniformly spaced apart and each series of openings being spaced a greater space than the space between the openings in each series.' An intermediate opening 45w is provided in the strip part 43 between each series of openings, the spacing between each opening 45a and the adjacent openings of each series being somewhat greater than the spacing between the openings of each series. The purpose of this spacing of the openings is to permit adjustment of the position of the shelves to permit the vending selectively of single or double units of merchandise as will hereinafter be more fully described.

The pivot projection 39 of each shelf is adapted to be mounted selectively in any one of a series of recesses or notches 46 and 46a provided in an angle iron member 41, one leg 48 of which is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the back wall 33 of the cabinet. The notches 46 are provided in the other leg 49 of said angle iron member 41 and they are arranged in spaced series or groups with intermediate notches, all of the notches being substantially horizontally aligned with corresponding openings 45 and 45a in the member 4 In thi instance the uppermost series of openings 45 and notches 46 comprises only two openings but it will be understood that other series comprise three openings as stated (see Figures 3 and 16).

It will be apparent that the shelves 34 may be mounted by first inserting their end projections 38 in the selected opening 45 and then moving the end projection 39 into the proper notch 46, the inner end of which is in proper alignment with the corresponding opening 45 to freely pivotally support the shelf.

For locking the shelf pivot member 39 in its notch 46 there is provided a metal member 50 having one leg 5| disposed fiatwise on the adjacent leg part 48 of the angle iron member 41, an intermediate part 52 extending forwardly from said leg or base part 5|, and a lip or flange part 53 extending laterally from said intermediate part 52 toward the notched leg 49 in such position as to be adapted to extend over a part of the pivot member 39 which projects beyond the outer face of the notched leg 49 (see Figure 15) -The member 59 is preferably laterally adjustably mounted on the back of the cabinet or on the angle iron leg 48 so as to permit adjustment of said member 59 to and from shelf locking position. As shown in full lines in Figures 13 and 15, the member 50 i in open position, i. e., in a position in which the shelves 34 may be readily removed or mounted, the locking position of the member 50 being illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 15.

For so mounting the member 50, it is preferably provided with a forwardly pressed boss 54 which is provided with an opening having an upper portion 55 and a lower portion 56, the lower portion being enlarged relative to the upper portion 55 so as to provide an abutment 51 for engagement with a fastening screw 58 to support the member 58 in open or unlocked p0- siti'on as illustrated in Figure 13. When the member 58 is adjusted to locking position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 15, it is first moved toward the'notched leg 49 and then downwardly so as to cause the upper portion 55 of the opening in the member 59 to embrace the stem of the screw 58 which may then be tightened if desired to more effectively hold the member 59 in its shelf locking position. Such clamping of the member 58 in shelf locking position is not essential since the member 50 is effectively held against outward displacement by the narrow width of the upper portion of its opening 55 but the clamping of the member in looking position is preferred in that it makes it more diflicult for a tamperer to throw the mechanism out of proper operative position.

As shown in Figure 3, the shelves 34 are mounted in uniformly spaced relation in which they are adapted to support a single article such as a sanitary napkin so as to vend such single article when the lowermost shelf 34 is permitted to drop from initial horizontal position to a depending, approximately vertical position. In the arrangement shown in Figure 3, the upper and lower notches of each series of three notches are employed for pivotally supporting shelves and the single notch intermediate each series of notches is also employed for pivotally supporting a shelf. Corresponding openings in the member 4| are, of course, also employed for supporting the shelves.

When it is desired to vend two articles from each shelf, the shelves are adjusted so that a shelf is pivotally supported by each of the intermediate notches and by the middle notch of each series of notches. When So positioned, the shelves are spaced properly to receive and supp rt two of the articles (usually wrapped together). to be vended as clearly shown in Figure 16.

The shelves are supported in horizontal position by means of supporting shelves or discs 59 carried by a vertically disposed, rotatable post or column 69. The column 69 is constructed as best shown in Figures 4, and 6 from which it will be seen that the column comprises a central shaft or tie rod 6|, the supporting discs 59 and spacing collars or sleeves 62, these parts being held together through the agency of said tie rod 6!. Each sleeve 60 is formed from a blank such as illustrated in Figure 5, such blanks being provided with teeth 63 on their upper edges and with notches indicated at 64 on their lower edges, the notches being offset laterally relative to the teeth 63 a predetermined distance, which, in this instance, is approximately equal to the width of the teeth and notches, the latter being of like width for interfitting purposes as will presently appear.

Each blank such as illustrated in Figure 5 is rolled into the form of a sleeve or tube as shown in Figure 6, the sleeve being thereby provided with a series of teeth extending upwardly from its upper edge and a corresponding series of circumferentially offset notches B4 in its lower edge, As shown in Figure 5, the intermediate tooth and notch are nearer to the tooth and notch at one end of the blank than to the tooth and notch at the other end of the blank, so that the teeth and notches on the opposite ends of the sleeve 52 are equally spaced.

Each disc or shelf 59 is provided with a peripheral notch 65 and with a series of slots 56 spaced inwardly from its periphery for receiving the teeth projecting from one end of a sleeve 52. Each disc is also provided with a central opening 91 for receiving the tie rod 6|. In assembling the column '69, a sleeve 62 and a disc 59 are assembled by placing a disc on the toothed end of a sleeve so that the teeth 63 project through the disc, whereupon another sleeve is positioned on top of the disc with its notches receiving the projecting teeth, as many sleeves and discs be ing assembled in this manner as required to provide supporting discs for each of the sleeves 62.

Because of the offset relation of the notches 64 relative to the teeth 63 on the opposite ends of the sleeves 62, it will be seen that the teeth on each superposed sleeve 62 are, in effect, advanced circumferentially relative to the teeth on the next lower sleeve, and that the notches B5 in the successively superposed shelf discs 59 are correspondingly advanced circumferentially relative to the notch in the next lower disc. It should be observed that the sleeves 62 are all of like construction and that the discs 59 are also all of like construction, so that production of these elements and of the column structure is greatly facilitated.

The lowermost sleeve 62 is seated on the upper face of a ratchet wheel 68, said ratchet wheel having a series of upwardly projecting bosses or studs 69 formed or secured thereon. The studs 69 are in such position thatthey are adapted to enter the notches 64 of the lowermost sleeve 62 to thereby definitely position the sleeve relative to the ratchet wheel andto maintain the sleeve in fixed position relative to the ratchet wheel. The studs 99 are preferably of cylindrical form and so located on the ratchet wheel that the notched edge of the sleeve 82 will snugly embrace a portion of each. stud inwardly of a diameter thereof so that the sleeve is thereby locked against both lateral and circumferential shifting relative to the ratchet wheel.

The tie rod 8| has its lower end provided with a shoulder 10 which snugly fits in a central opening H in the ratchet wheel 68 and below said shoulder the tie rod is provided with a reduced diameter threaded extension 12 on which is positioned a bushing member 13 which is locked thereon by means of a lock nut i4. Beyond the threaded extension '12, the tie rod is provided with a still further reduced end portion 15 which is adapted to be rotatably supported in an opening 16 provided in a supporting bracket part 11.

The upper end of the column is provided with an end cap 18 and a washer 19 which has a central portion 89 struck up to provide a cylindrical bearing projection adapted to rotatably fit in an opening 8| provided in a mounting member 82. The washer 19 and the cap '18 are secured in plac by means of a suitable screw 83 which is threaded into the upper end of the tie rod 6|.

The mounting member 82 is preferably in the form of a yieldable spring metal member free at its inner end but rigidly secured as indicated at 84 at its outer end to a fixed bracket 85 which is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the side wall 3| of the cabinet.

It will be observed that the column 69 is removably supported by the fixed bracket member 11 and the yieldable member 82, the member 82 being manually adjustable upwardly to free the bearing end portion 89 of the column to permit sufficient lateral movement of the upper end portion of the column forwardly or outwardly of the cabinet whereby the column may be raised more or less vertically from the bracket 11 for removal from the cabinet.

Each shelf 34 (see Figure 14) is provided with a latch member 86 pivoted at its inner end as shown at 8? to the shelf and having an end portion projecting endwise from one end of the shelf in such position that a downwardly turned tooth or finger $8 of the latch member is adapted to rest on a shelf disc 59 (see Figure 9). The latch finger 88 is of such width that it is adapted to pass through the peripheral notch in the supporting shelf disc, so that upon rotation of the column 69 tosuch an extent that the notch 65 in a supporting disc comes into alignment with a latch finger98, the corresponding shelf will be permitted to swing downwardly by gravity with the result that the supported merchandise will. also fall by gravity to the bottom of the cabinet.

The notched shelf discs 59 are so arranged in the column 69 that the notch in the lowermost shelf disc 59 first comes into alignment with the latch finger 88 of the lowermost shelf 34 and so that each step of rotation of the column will bring the notch in the next overlying shelf disc into alignment with the next overlying shelf latch finger. Thus it will be understood that the shelves are progressively permitted to swing downwardly beginning at the bottom and pro- I gressing upwardly toward the top.

The article discharged from each shelf 34 may be permitted to drop to a flatwise position on the bottom or lower end 28 of the cabinet but it is preferred to provide an inclined guide member 99 rigidly secured in place on the back wall 33 of the cabinet for supporting the vended article herein designated A in an inclined, readily accessible position at the dispensing opening 9!! at the lower end of the cabinet. If desired, the guide member 89 may be so proportioned that it will permit the vended article to be deposited flat- Wise on the bottom 28 with a marginal portion of the article projecting from the cabinet.

The column 60 is adapted to be rotated step by step by means of ratchet mechanism acting on the ratchet wheel 68. Said ratchet mechanism comprises a plate member 9I provided with a bearing opening 92 whereby the plate is rotatably mounted on the bearing bushing 13 at the lower end of the column and below the ratchet wheel 68. A pawl 93 is pivotally mounted on top of the upwardly from the pawl and an ear 9! bent upwardly from the plate 9|.

The pawl carrying plate 9| is adapted to be oscillated by coin control mechanism which is manually actuated by the purchaser and the operating mechanism is such that the said pawl is advanced and retarded only a sufficient distance to advance the ratchet wheel 68 the distance of one tooth each time the operating lever 24 is operatively depressed. The spacing of the ratchet teeth 68 is preferably made to correspond to the circumferential spacing of the notches 65 in the succesively superposed shelf discs 59, so that each time the column is rotated one step,

a shelf 34 is permitted to drop downwardly to discharge the article disposed thereon.

When the vending machine is initially stocked or loaded, the shelf supporting column 69 is in a circumferential position of adjustment in which the notch 65 in the lowermost shelf supporting disc 59 is immediately adjacent the latch finger- 88 of the lowermost shelf 34. The first step of rotation imparted to the column 69 will therefore cause the lowest shelf to be dropped so as to discharge its article in the manner already ex:

plained. Each successive step of rotation of the column will accordingly cause the next higher shelf to be similarly dropped. When all of the shelves have been permitted to swing downwardly to discharge the goods, the shelves should, of,.

course, be re-set to horizontal position and loaded with merchandise. This is accomplished by first manually rotating the column 69 in a counterclockwise direction (reversely of the direction of rotation for merchandise dispensing) so as to effect is restoration to the indicated initial posiion wherein the discs 59 are capable of supporting all of the shelves 34. To facilitate such manual rotation of the column for resetting purposes, it may be provided with a knurled wheel or disc 98. The lowermost disc 59 may be suitably marked or indexed to indicate the proper starting position and if desired, it may be enlarged and flanged to distinguish it from the others for facilitating the setting or resetting operation.

The pawl 93 is freed from the ratchet wheel 68 by pressing inwardly on the ear 96 of the pawl whereby a hook member 99 formed integral with the pawl is moved inwardly into position to engage a stop lug I09 carried by the ratchet wheel 68. The stop lug I09 is so positioned on the ratchet wheel that when it engages the hook 99 the discs 59 will be properly positioned for initially supporting all of the shelves in loaded position.

When the column 60 is reset in the manner explained, the shelves 34 may be swung upwardly by merely drawing the hand upwardly against the bottoms of the shelves, a single swipe of the hand upwardly being sufficient to reset all of the shelves. The latch members 86 are permitted to yield rearwardly so that their fingers 88 may pass the discs 59. Springs such as indicated at IIII bear at their free ends against the rear edge of the latches, the other ends of the springs being anchored in the respective shelves 34 by being passed through a pair of openings I02 in the shelves and seated in a depression formed in the shelves intermediate said openings. To additionally support the latch members 86, the shelves 34 are provided with downwardly oflset lips I03 and I94 which overlie the latch members intermediate their lengths. The lips I04 also serve in cooperation with the adjacent portions of the shelves to form a guide for the free end portions of the springs IOI so as to maintain the same in engagement with the rear edges of the latches 36. To facilitate such re-setting of the shelves, the relationship of the latch members 86 to the supporting discs 59 of the column 60 is preferably such that each latch member will engage only one of the supporting discs 59.

Each shelf is provided with an end extension I 05 which overlies the forward edge portion of its latch member 86 and said extension is recessed in its forward edge as indicated at I06. The provision of the recessed extension I05 overlying the front edge portion of the latch serves to make it very difiicult if not impossible to pilfer merchandise from the vending machine by inserting a wire or similar instrument into the machine in an effort to force back the latch 86 so as to cause a shelf to drop its merchandise.

The coin control mechanism for the machine is embodied in a unitary structure illustrated in its entirety in Figure 8. It comprises a base or back plate I01 having front and rear flanges I08 and I69, respectively, which impart rigidity to the plate and which serve to more or less position some of the elements in the base plate.

A coin chute II!) extends through the front flange I08 and has its mouth or receiving end disposed in alignment with the coin slot 23 in the door 2| of the cabinet. The coin chute III) is arranged at a downwardly and inwardly disposed angle so that a coin inserted into the chute will roll downwardly therein. The rear end or delivery end of the coin chute is associated with rejecting mechanism designated in its entirety III, the details of which form no part of the present invention and are therefore not illustrated or described.

The rejecting mechanism III may be of any commercially available form, preferably one which will effectively reject all slugs and other substitutes for the proper coin required for operation of the vending machine. The mechanism III is preferably such that it will deposit the slug or other coin substitute in the merchandise delivery opening at the bottom of the cabinet. A proper coin will pass through the rejector III and be discharged therefrom into a receiving member II2 (see Figures '7, 1O, 11 and 12) which is fixedly mounted on a flange I I 3 extending inwardly from the lower nd of the base plate I0'I. Said member I !2 is horizontally elongated so that the coin may be moved horizontally therein by the means about to be described.

An arm H4 is pivotally mounted at one end as indicated at I I5 on an ear or the like II6 carried by the base member I01 or its rear flange I09.

Said arm II4 extends through slots H1 and III! inthe side walls of the coin receiving member I I2 near the rear of the operating mechanism as best shown in Figure 12. The free end of said pivoted arm I I4 is provided with an opening II9 which receives the hooked end of a dog I20, the other end of which is pivotally secured to one arm I2! of a bell crank. The bell crank is pivotally mounted as indicated at I22 on the base plate I01 and its other arm I23 is pivotally connected to the lower end of an upwardly extending link I24. The upper end of the link I24 is pivoted to an operating lever I25 intermediate its ends, the inner or rear end of which lever is pivoted as indicated at I26 on the base plate I01. A suitable wire spring I21 coiled around the pivot support for the lever I25 is arranged with one end in engagement with the rear flange I09 of said base plate I01, and its other end in engagement with the lower edge of said operating lever #25 so as to normally yieldingly hold the lever in an upwardly disposed position.

The operating lever I25 has its front end portion 24 projecting through a suitable slot 25 in the door of the cabinet as already explained, and the lever is adapted to be manually depressed against the force of the spring I21 to thereby move the link I24 downwardly with corresponding movement of the bell crank arms I23 and I2 I the hooked arm I20 and the pivoted arm II4. Thus it will be seen that the arm II4, upon forward swinging movement, will be operative to advance a coin deposited in the member H2 in front of the arm forwardly in the arm.

The coin indicated in dotted lines at C, upon being moved forwardly in the member II2, engages an arm I28 which extends through slots I29 and I30 in the member Il2, said arm being formed integrally with a plate member I3I, The plate I3I is slidably supported near its front end by means of a fastening screw I32 which extends through a slot I33 in the forward end portion of the plate and into an ear or lug I34 projecting rearwardly from the inner edge ofthe The normal or initial position of the slidable member I3I is shown in Figures 8 and 10. It is moved forwardly only a short distance through the agency of the coin C, after which spring mechanism comes into action for imparting further forward movement to the member with a snap action. Such spring mechanism comprises a, dog I36 slidably disposed in an opening I31 provided in a bracket element I38 carried by the front flange I08 of the mounting plate I01. The lower end of said dog I35 rides on t e upper edge I39 of the slidable plate I3I and is bevelled as shown at I40 for coaction with a cam edge I4I formed at the forward end of a recess I42 provided in said upper edge of the member I3I.

The dog I39 is provided with an upwardly extending pin I43 which extends through an opening I44 provided in an ear I45 extending laterally inwardly from the link I24. A coil spring I46 disposed on the stem or pin I43 is compressed during the downward movement of the link I24 which is required to effect enough forward movement of the member I3I through the agency of the coin C to bring its cam edge I4I into operative'relationship to the cam end I40 of the dog,

after which the stored up force of the spring I46 will cause the dog to move downwardly relative to the link I24, thereby to force the member I3I to move forwardly at an accelerated pace or with a snap action. Such accelerated forward movement of the member I3I is permitted incident to the slidable mounting of the arm I28 thereof in the slots I29 and I30, which are of course made of sufficient length to permit the required extent of movement. The member I3I is provided with a laterally extending" lug I41 which enters a notch I48 provided in the ratchet actuating plate 9|, so that the forward. movement of the member I3I is transmitted into rotary movement of the member 9| with corresponding rotary movement of the ratchet pawl 93 and ratchet.

When downward pressure on the operating lever I25 is removed, the springs I21 and I35 cooperate to restore the parts to initial position preparatory to a succeeding vending operation.

The described operating mechanism is actuated partially and initially by manual force applied to the lever I25, and partially by the force developed in the spring I46 which acts through the dog I36 and cam I4I (Figure 8). The spring supplies the power for the final and more or less critical portion of the operating, movements. Hence, a predetermined, limited power is uniformly applied to effect the said more or less critical portion of the operating movements.

Of the operating lever I25, there is accessible to the operator a pressure space sumcient for the application of only one finger (see Figures 1 and 3). v This limitation on the force which may be manually applied, together with the spring force completion of the operating movements insures theapplication of an adequate operating force while also preventing damage or impair.-

ment of the mechanism by the application of excessive operating forces.

When the member I3I is moved to its forward limit of motion as illustrated in Figure '7, the coin C is freed from the grip of the transverse member I28 and arm I I4 and is permitted to drop downwardly through a slot I50 in the member H2 and into a coin receptacle I5I mounted in a receiving relation to said slot I50. Hence when the springs I21 and I35 restore the parts to initial position, the coin C is out of the way and does not prevent the member I3I from returning to said initial position,

The coin control mechanism including the spurious coin detecting mechanism I I I, the coin chute H0 and the described operating levers and linkage are all mounted in the aforesaid base member I01. The member I01 with its attached parts is secured in place in the cabinet against the side wall 3I thereof by having it lower end seated on a bracket member I52 which has one leg I53 welded or otherwise rigidly attached to the side wall 3| of the cabinet, at horizontally inwardly extending portion I54, an upwardly extending portion I55, and a, further horizontally inwardly extending portion I55. As shown in Figure 11, a. portion of the coin mechanism seated on the inwardly extending marginal portion, I56 of the member I52 and the portion. I54 thereof is provided with an opening I51 through which the coin may pass from the member II2 to the coin receptacle 1 51. V

The ear I34 of the coin mechanism base is provided with a depending lip or lug I58 which is adapted to be inserted in an opening I59 provided in the bracket part I54 (see Figure 7). The said ear I58 and opening I59 anchor the front lower end portion of the coin control unit in place in the cabinet. The rear lower portion is held in place by a boss or hump I49 struck forwardly from the back wall 33 of the cabinet into overlapping relation to the edge of the flange I09 (see Figures '7 and 9).

Near the upper end of the coin mechanism base there is provided an elongated opening I60 which is adapted to receive a screw I6I anchored in the cabinet wall 3|, a nut I62 being applied to said screw on the inside of the base -I 01 to thereby removably fasten the coin mechanism base to the cabinet side wall. To remove the coin mechanism in its entirety, it i merely necessary to remove the nut I62 whereupon the upper end portion of the coin mechanism unit may be moved inwardly to free it from the screw I6 I, whereupon the unit may be moved vertically to withdraw its lug I58 from the opening I59. Th mechanism is then free of the vending machine cabinet and completely removable for repair, adjustment or replacement.

The coin box II may be of sheet metal or any other suitable construction and it is slidably mounted on an inwardly extending shelf part I63 of the said bracket part I53, the shelf part I63 having an upwardly turned retaining flange I64 at its inner edge. The coin box I5I is preferably formed of such size that it will snugly flt between the shelf part I63 of the bracket and the inwardly extending part I54 thereof, and between th part I53 and the flange I64, so that a suitable lock I65 mounted on the front wall of the coin box and arranged to have a bolt I66 moved downwardly through an opening in said shelf part I 63 will suffice to securely lock the box in coin receiving position. The .coin box shelf I63 is also preferably provided with a forwardly and downwardly inclined extension I66 which facilitates insertion of the coin box to its proper coin receiving position. The front wall of the coin box may conveniently be provided with a lip I61 to facilitate handling of the box, the upper end of which is open for receiving the coins.

For reinforcing the door 2| of th cabinet at its free edge, i. e., the edge remote from the hinged edge, there is secured to th door near its said free edge a channel iron member I68, the same being welded or otherwise secured to the door. The coin slot 23 and the operating lever slot 24, together with the lock 21, pass through said reinforcing member I68 50 that the door is not unduly weakened by said slots and lock. \As best shown in Figure 9, the lock 21 has a bar I69 which engages behind a keeper I which is preferably carried by the coin mechanism base member, although it will be obvious that said keeper may be secured to the side wall 3I of the cabinet if preferred. Preferably, the bottom 28 of the cabinet (see Figure 3) is extended forwardly a short distance beyond the front of the cabinet, so that the vended article will be caused to project slightly in discharged position as indicated in Figure 3. To avoid danger of scratching the customer, the lower edge 29 of the door is re-bent as shown to provide a smooth, finished edge and the accessible free edges of the bottom 28 are suitably rounded or smoothed.

The operating arm I is preferably provided with a depending ear I1I which is in line with the slot 25 so as to more or less close said slot even when the operating arm is in its normal upper position. Such ear I1I serves to prevent the efroneous insertion of a coin through the slot 25 below the operating lever end portion 24,

To prevent the insertion of a coin through the coin slot 23 when the stock of the machine is exhausted, there is provided a wire rod member I12 (see Figures 2, '7 and 8), the same being rotatably mounted in a notch I13 in the front flange I08 .of .the coin mechanism base member and supported for rotation near its rear or inner end by being seated on the upper end of a flange portion I14 extending inwardly from the upper end portion of the base I01; the said base has an upper end flange I 15 which overlies the member I12 and it is provided with an ear I16 which depends therefrom in front of the member I12 to prevent lateral displacement thereof. The flange I14 extends upwardly in back of the rod I12 as indicated at I11, so that said flange portion I11 cooperates with the ear I16 to position the rod I12 while also permitting rotation thereof.

At the rear of the cabinet the rod I12 is turned upwardly in an extension I18 and said extension has a leg I19 bent laterally into position overlying the uppermost shelf 34 a short distance in front of the pivot mounting of the shelf. The rod I12 also has a depending extension I80 adjacent the front of the cabinet and said extension has a short leg I8I which i adapted to be projected through an opening I 82 in the coin chute I I0.

When the shelves 34 are all dropped and all of the articles dispensed from the cabinet, the rod part I19 i permitted to swing downwardly with the result that the part I8I is projected through I the opening I82 into the coin chute so as to prevent the passage of a coin in the chute. When the shelves 34 are restored to their article supporting horizontal position, the rod portion I 19 is, of A course, elevated with the resulting withdrawal of the portion I 8I from the chute to again open the same for the passage of coins. When the coin control unit is removed from the cabinet, the rod I12 and its extensions may be readily assembled or disassembled with the coin mechanism by first lifting the rod I12 out of its notch I13 and then sliding the rod I12 rearwardly until the portions I80 and I8I are inside of the flange I08, whereupon the rod may be rocked so as to escape the ear I16 and portion I11 of the flange I14. Assem- Y 'be stocked and the ease with which the various parts thereof may be removed for adjustment or replacement. It is also an important feature of the construction that it is of relatively small overn all size and compact with a minimum of projection from the wall or other support on which the machine may be mounted.

Changes may be made in the described construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which should be determined by reference to the following claims, the same being construed as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art.

We claim: 1. In a vending machine of the class described,

the combination of a cabinet, a plurality of shelves mounted in said cabinet for swinging movement from article supporting to article discharging position, said shelves being provided with endwise extending hinge pins adjacent opposite ends of the shelf, means in said cabinet for receiving said hinge pins comprising a member secured to the cabinet, having a portion spaced from a wall thereof and provided with openings for receiving the hinge pins at one end of each of said shelves, a member secured to said cabinet and having an inwardly extending leg provided with open-ended notches for receiving the hinge pin at the other end of each of said shelves, and adjustable means for locking the last mentioned hinge pins in said notches whereby said shelves may be readily removed and remounted in the cabinet.

2. In a vending machine of the class described, the combination of a cabinet, a plurality of shelves mounted in said cabinet for swinging movement from article supporting to article discharging position, said shelves being provided with endwise extending hinge pins adjacent opposite ends of the shelf, and means for removaib-ly mounting the shelves in the cabinet comprising a member secured in fixed position in the cabinet, having a portion spaced from a wall thereof and provided with a series of openings for receiving the hinge pin at one end of each of said shelves, a member provided with a series of open-ended notches for receiving the hinge pin at the other end of each of said shelves, the last mentioned hinge pins being of such length as to project outwardly beyond said notched member, and a locking devicecomprising a member mounted in the cabinet for lateral movement in a direction parallel with the axis of said hinge pins and provided with a flange part adapted to overlie the projecting portions of said last mentioned hinge pins to prevent removal thereof from said notches.

3. In a vending machine of the class described, the combination of a cabinet, a plurality of shelves mounted in said cabinet for swingingmovement from article supporting to article discharging position, said shelves being provided with endwise extending hinge pins adjacent opposite ends of the shelf, and means for removably mounting the shelves in the cabinet comprising a member secured in fixed position in the cabinet, having a portion spaced from a wall thereof and provided with a series of openings for receiving the hinge pin at one end of each of said shelves, a member provided with a series of open-ended notches for receiving the hinge pin at the other end of each of said shelves, the 1ast mentioned hinge pins being of such length as to project outwardly beyond said notched member, a locking device comprising a member mounted in the cabinet for lateral movementin a direction parallel with the axis of said hinge pins and provided with a flange part adaptfrom the location of the notch in the lowermost disc and said notches being adapted to permit said shelf projection to pass the disc whereby the shelf is permitted to move downwardly to article discharging position, and means for rotating said column step by step.

5. A vending machine according to claim 4 wherein the column comprises a plurality of relatively independent spacer leeves interposed between the discs and a tie rod for clamping said spacer sleeves and discs in assembled relation.

6. A vending machine according to claim 4 wherein the column comprises a plurality of spacer sleeves each provided with a notch in one end and a tooth on its other end, said spacer sleeves being interposed between the discs and said discs each having an opening for permitting the tooth of one sleeve to project through the disc into the notch of the sleeve on the other side of the disc, and mean for securing said spacer sleeves and discs in assembled relation.

7. A vending machine according to claim 4 wherein said column comprises a plurality of spacer sleeves each having a notch in one end and a tooth projecting from its other end, the tooth and notch being ofiset relative to each other, said spacer sleeves being interposed between the discs and said discs being all of like form and provided with an opening for permitting the passage of the tooth of one sleeve through the disc and into the notch of a sleeve on the other side of the disc, and means for securing said sleeves and discs in assembled relation.

8. A vending machine according to claim 4 wherein the column comprises a plurality of spacer sleeves each having a series of notches in one end and a corresponding series of teeth on the other end, the teeth and notches being relatively offset, said sleeves being interposed between said discs and said discs being all of like construction and having a series of openings for permitting the passage of the teeth of one spacer sleeve through the disc into the notches of a spacer sleeve on the opposite side of the disc, and means for securing said sleeves and discs in assembled relation.

9. A vending machine according to claim 4 wherein the shelf projections are adjustably secured to the shelves and resiliently maintained in normal, operative position so as to be yieldable laterally relative to said discs for facilitating resetting of the shelves from article discharging position to article supporting position, substaned to overlie the projecting portions of said last mentioned hinge pins to prevent removal thereof from said notches, and means for supporting said locking member in operative, locking position and in inoperative or disengaged position.

4. In a vending machine of the class described, the combination of a cabinet, a plurality of shelves hingedly mounted in said cabinet so as to be movable from article supporting position to article discharging position, means for supporting the shelves in article supporting position comprising a rotatable column having a plurality of notched supporting discs respectively adapted to support said shelves, said shelves having projections engaging said discs, said discs being arranged with their notche successively stepped rearwardly tially as described.

10. In a vending machine of the class described, the combination of a cabinet and a plurality of shelves mounted therein for movement from article supporting position to article vending position, means on each of said shelves for supporting the same in article supporting position and comprising an arm movably mounted on the shelf, means yieldably maintaining said arm in a predetermined position, notched movable means for supporting said arm to thereby support the shelf, and a fixed extension on each of said shelves adjacent an edge of said arm for hindering attempted movement of said arms clear of said supporting means to efiect fraudulent operation of the mechanism.

11. In a vending machine of the class described, the combination of a cabinet, a plurality of shelves, means for hingedly mounting said shelves in the cabinet to permit swinging thereof from article-supporting position to article-discharging position, said mounting means comprising hinge pins projecting from opposite ends of said shelves, the cabinet being provided with a series of holes for receiving the hinge pin at one end of each of said shelves and with a member having a series of open-ended notches for receiving the hinge pin at the other end of each of said shelves, each of said shelves being mountable and demountable by endwise movement of the hinge pin at one end into and out of one of said holes and by lateral movement of the hinge pin at the other end into and out of one of said open-ended notches, and displaceable means normally overlapping portions of the hinge pins seated in said notches to retain. the same therein.

12. In a vending machine of the class described, the combination of article supporting and discharging means, mechanism for holding said article supporting means in article supporting position and for successively releasing said article supporting means to effect vending of an article from the released means, check controlled means for actuating said mechanism comprising a manually operable member, a movable part, a movable arm in spaced relation to said movable part and adapted to be operatively connected to said movable part through the agency of a check interposed between said arm and part, means [connecting said manually operable member and said arm for actuating said arm upon manual operation of said manually operable member, thereby to effect initial movement of said movable part when a check is interposed between said arm and part, a dog mounted for movement toward and from said part, a connection between said manually operable member and said dog and embodying a spring adapted to be biased incident to the operation of said manually operable member, said dog and said part having interengageable cam surfaces adapted to cooperate after predetermined initial movement of said part is effected to produce subsequent accelerated movement of the part, and means connecting said movable part and said holding mechanism for effecting the release of one of said article supporting and discharging means to thereby effect vending as aforesaid.

13. In a vending machine having a series of vertically spaced article-supporting shelves pivoted adjacent one edge for downward swinging movement to article-discharging position, and having a step by step rotatable member provided with means for successively permitting movement of said shelves to article-discharging position, said means comprising notched members arranged with their notches oifset one step of rotation rearwardly relative to the direction of rotation of the rotatable member, said shelves having resiliently projecting fingers engaging said notched members, which fingers are successively permitted to pass through the notches thereof, means for rotating the member step by step comprising a ratchet wheel, a pawl resiliently urged into operative engagement with said ratchet Wheel, said pawl being provided with an extension movable over one surface of the ratchet wheel when the pawl is disengaged from the teeth thereof, and stop means projecting from said surface of said ratchet wheel for engaging said extension to thereby determine an initial position of the rotatable member wherein said shelves may be restored from article-discharging position to article-supporting position by swing-ing said shelves upwardly so as to-cause the fingers thereof to be cammed back as an incident to their engagement with the rotatable member, said fingers being thereafter resiliently projected to operative position overlying unnotched portions of said members.

14. In a vending machine of the class described, the combination of a plurality of shelves respectively supporting articles to be vended, mechanism for holding said shelves in articlesupporting position, a manually operated member, a movably mounted part resiliently held against movement, means whereby operation of said manually operable member is transmitted directly to said movably mounted part for efiecting initial movement thereof, spring means acting on said movable part as an incident to the manual, initial actuation thereof to impart supplementary accelerated movement thereto, and means operatively connecting said movable part to said mechanism to actuate the latter so as to release one of said article-supporting shelves to vend the article supported thereby.

15. In a vending machine of the class de scribed, the combination of a plurality of shelves respectively supporting articles to be vended, mechanism for holding said shelves in articlesupporting position, a manually operated member, a movably mounted part resiliently held against movement, means whereby operation of said manually operable member is transmitted directly to said movably mounted part for effecting initial movement thereof, spring means operatively connected to said manually operable member so as to be biased during the initial movement of said member and operatively connected to said movably mounted member for effecting supplemental accelerated movement thereof, and means operatively connecting said movable part to said holding mechanism to actuate the latter so as to release one of said article supporting shelves to vend the article supported thereby.

OSCAR T. THOMPSON. SAMUEL N. HOPE. 

